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One way to get Posey up here

SAN FRANCISCO — This is not a recommendation; I don’t know if it’s even a suggestion. It’s just a thought.

If the Giants believe that promoting Buster Posey from Triple-A Fresno and installing him in the lineup would help their offense, here’s an option:

Put Posey at first base and move Aubrey Huff to left field. I’m sure several bloggers and maybe one of my counterparts/competitors already has raised this subject. If so, I apologize for sounding like I’m plagiarizing. But I’m not, since it doesn’t seem to have been widely circulated.

I think manager Bruce Bochy was dropping a hint recently when he praised Huff’s athleticism and said that he believed that, with a little training, Huff could play the outfield respectably. I’m not sure whether this would complicate matters, but most of Huff’s outfield experience actually is in right field — 237 games out of 245, according to baseball-reference.com. Still, Huff probably would adjust better to left field at AT&T Park, since he wouldn’t have to deal with the tricky archways and the wall in right field at home.

The Giants wouldn’t necessarily be giving up on Posey as a catcher. There’s always next year, assuming Bengie Molina doesn’t return (and given Molina’s re-signing this past offseason, I won’t assume anything). Again, this is just a possible way to get Posey’s bat in the lineup.

Like this:

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4 Comments

See, it is comments like this that get Giants fans all in an uproar over nothing, mad at Sabean for something that he didn’t even do. It is bad enough for the things he does do.

The Giants were looking to sign a catcher this off-season anyway and they already let it be known early that while they would prefer to have Molina, Molina made it clear that he was looking for a multi-year contract, hopefully 3 years, and the Giants were not going to do that, not even a two year.

The only conclusion you can come from that is that the Giants think of 2010 as a transition year where Posey would be ready to catch in the majors sometime during the season, and thus they need a good enough catcher in 2010 to hold the fort until Posey is ready, but that they expect Posey to be ready for the 2011 season. All the news on Posey – and maybe you can do some snooping with scouts in Fresno – is no news on his defense, so presumably he is doing OK in terms of that but is going through the process to get ready to catch in the majors. The only way the Giants should logically re-sign Molina for 2011 is if they suddenly determine that Posey cannot become a catcher in the majors and move him to another position and prepare him for that for 2011 because his bat appears to be getting there.

Also, Huff playing LF is also a way to get Ishikawa more starts at 1B, assuming Bowker does not do well in his latest try to hit in the majors as a starter.

It is also a way to get Uribe (and possibly Downs) into the lineup once Sanchez and then Renteria returns off the DL. Huff would move to LF, Sandoval to 1B, Sanchez or Uribe to 3B, Downs or Uribe at 2B.

Yes, Andrew Baggarly brought this exact idea up in yesterday’s Mercury News Extra Baggs blog. after presenting the possibility of Huff moving to left field to get Posey at first he wrote this:

“There?s two problems with that plan, though.

For one, Posey?s development would be stalled behind the plate. He?d probably be limited to catching bullpens because he wouldn?t get many innings back there.

And for another, it?s just not a good idea to bring a top prospect into an environment when the team is playing tight and is desperate for a spark. It?s hard enough to break into the big leagues. It?s even harder when everyone expects you to multiply loaves and fishes from the moment you arrive.”

IMO, if the Giants are really going to experiment with people in Left Field, let it be Posey. If he is REALLY not going to end up playing catcher for the Giants this year, dont put him at first. He’s far more athletic than Huff and would no doubt have a greater chance at succeeding in Left Field.

Given his athleticism i dont see why he couldnt finish the second half of the year in the field and revert back to catcher come spring training ’11. He’s a young, versatile guy.

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